Industry News

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metavent
Dec 09, 2024
When it comes to holiday party planning, companies are still feeling the ripple effects of the pandemic. From return-to-office mandates to fully remote workforces, corporate gatherings are a bit like choosing your own adventure. One size does not fit all.    But there are some common trends that industry pros are noticing this year including smaller gatherings and retro themes. Here’s a rundown of the top corporate holiday party trends of 2024:   Smaller, more intimate settings are in high demand this year.  As has been the case over the last several years, companies are continuing to lean… more
Dec 06, 2024
Corporate event planners are struggling to implement sustainable practices and next-gen technology while maintaining traditional event planning priorities, according to the latest ICERESEARCH Annual Benchmarking Report, which details the greatest challenges and emerging trends currently impacting event planning within the corporate event sector in the UK, North America, and Europe.  Developed by the In-house Corporate Event (ICE) community of corporate event planners in partnership with Cvent, the 2024 benchmarking report is based on survey responses from planners across the three regions… more
Nov 25, 2024
Cvent flexed its muscles as a global leader in event management during the milestone 25th iteration of its annual meetings, events, and hospitality technology conference, Cvent CONNECT Europe.  Held Nov. 5-7 at the Hilton London Metropole, this year’s Cvent CONNECT Europe was the software giant’s largest yet, with more than 1,500 industry professionals onsite and thousands more tuning in virtually. Rachel Andrews, Cvent’s senior director of global meetings and events, attributed the 15% year-over-year attendance surge (there were roughly 1,300 in person in 2023) to the company’s increased… more
Nov 22, 2024
Fal.Con, cybersecurity platform CrowdStrike’s annual conference, has seen some impressive growth over the last few years. In 2022, the show welcomed 2,800 attendees; then 4,000 attendees in 2023; and now 6,000 attendees at this year’s show, which took place in September at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.   The 2024 iteration of the show was a master class in creative problem-solving, especially in terms of spatial design. Experiential agency VDA led the production of the event, which featured a trade show floor of customer booths from the likes of Mercedes and Mattel, a dome-shaped… more
hong kong
Nov 14, 2024
Organized by Informa Markets with Informa Connect as co-organizer, Connect Marketplace Hong Kong is launching March 19-21, 2025, at AsiaWorld-Expo. The inaugural Asia Pacific event for the Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Events (MICE) community marks the debut of Connect Marketplace in Asia, aiming to elevate experiences and shape the future of the industry.  With the theme “Your Bleisure, Our Pleasure,” the event will serve as a platform for the global meetings industry, tourism authorities, and related stakeholders to connect, collaborate, and build relationships that will redefine… more
Nov 06, 2024
According to a recent survey, it seems that a lot of corporate meeting planners are juggling more work beyond booking and building out their organizations’ events. The 2025 Planner Sourcing Report, released in early October by event-technology giant Cvent, found that 66 percent of the 500-plus responding planners say they’ll handle sourcing for more meetings in 2025 than in 2024—but more than 70 percent are also involved in sourcing hotels for and otherwise managing their company’s preferred transient hotel program. In fact, 87 percent of those respondents say managing the transient program… more
Nov 04, 2024
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the past four decades, you’ve likely heard of TED conferences, known for “ideas worth spreading” via talks spanning a cornucopia of inspiring, thought-provoking topics and diverse perspectives delivered by celebrities, thought leaders, and groundbreaking leaders and legends in their respective fields.   Originally launched in 1984 by architect Richard Saul Wurman and designer Harry Marks as a for-profit event focused on the intersection of technology, entertainment, and design (hence the acronym TED), annual TED conferences officially kicked off in … more
Oct 30, 2024
Distill down the elements of a changemaker, and you’ll find someone who can identify a problem, define a workable solution, and, most critically, execute that idea. With the creation of SocialOffset, Beth Surmont, FASAE, CMP-Fellow, CAE, checks all those boxes.  The problem: Surmont, vice president of event strategy and design at 360 Live Media, and her co-founder and wife Elena Gerstmann, FASAE, CAE, executive director of INFORMS, faced the challenge of attending conferences in destinations that had passed legislation that didn’t align with their values. While boycotting an event or a… more
democratic national convention
Oct 24, 2024
It’s hard to believe it had been eight years since the last full-fledged Democratic National Convention (DNC) was produced. After COVID forced the 2020 proceedings to go mostly virtual, the DNC production team was eager to get back to business as usual in 2024.  As move-in for the 2024 DNC was well underway, U.S. President Joe Biden announced on July 21 he would drop out of the 2024 presidential race—less than one month before the event was scheduled to open on Aug. 19 at McCormick Place and the United Center arena in Chicago.  Navigating uncharted waters, the DNC organizing team quickly… more
Oct 21, 2024
A recent global business-travel forecast details the factors affecting airfares as well as guest-room rates and costs for event elements at business hotels. With many organizations in the midst of setting their travel and event budgets for 2025, the recently released Global Business Travel Forecast from business-travel and meetings agency CWT and the Global Business Travel Association provides data that planners can use to justify next year’s funding requests. To start, the average domestic-flight cost will come in at about $810 in 2024. The good news is that the average airfare in 2025 is… more
Partner Voices
MGM Resorts is committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse culture, not just among employees and guests but also within its supply chain. The company prioritizes procuring goods and services from businesses owned by minorities, women, veterans, people with disabilities, LGBTQ individuals and those facing economic disadvantages. This commitment is integral to MGM Resorts' global procurement strategy.    Through its voluntary supplier diversity program, MGM Resorts actively identifies and connects certified diverse-owned suppliers to opportunities within its supply chain. The company is more